President Xi Jinping's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has opened new prospects for China-DPRK relations and added positive energy to regional and global peace and development, a senior official and analysts said.

Coming at a critical moment, the visit was rooted in the development of bilateral ties, yet its significance extended far beyond the bilateral scope, demonstrating China's sense of responsibility as a major country and its growing international influence, they said.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, concluded a successful two-day state visit to the neighboring country on Tuesday, his first visit to the DPRK in seven years and his first overseas trip this year.

Briefing reporters at the end of the visit, Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that as this year marks the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, and amid accelerating changes unseen in a century in a turbulent world, the top leaders of the two sides took a broad and long-term view, built on past achievements and opened up a new future. They also jointly charted the course for development and worked together to promote peace, Liu added.

He said the visit injected new contemporary connotations and strong impetus into the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, marking an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations.

During Xi's stay in Pyongyang, the DPRK capital, Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, greeted Xi at the airport in person, held a grand welcoming ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square, and accompanied Xi throughout the two-day visit. The DPRK also arranged a carefully prepared artistic performance.

Wherever Xi went, crowds of local people applauded and cheered, while people along the streets stopped and waved at the passing motorcade. Liu said those scenes and the smiling faces fully showed the great importance that the DPRK attached to Xi's visit and the thoughtful arrangements it had made for the visit.

They also reflected the sincere friendship of the DPRK's people toward the Chinese people, as well as the deep foundation and solid roots of the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK, he said.

According to Liu, Xi and Kim had long and in-depth communication during the visit. Their exchanges included formal talks, relaxed walks and warm interactions in a family-like atmosphere.

Stressing that China and the DPRK are both socialist countries led by communist parties, Xi said during talks with Kim that the traditional friendship between the two countries is rooted in their shared ideals and beliefs as well as their common goals, and is backed by a profound historical foundation, a solid political basis and strong emotional bonds.

Xi noted that friendship passed down from generation to generation, a shared future and mutual support have always been defining features of China-DPRK relations.

Zheng Jiyong, dean of the Institute of Regional Studies at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, said the development of China-DPRK ties is not merely a continuation of long-standing friendship, but an effort to give traditional friendship new relevance under changing circumstances.

"Under the new circumstances, it requires the integration of political mutual trust, pragmatic cooperation, people-to-people bonds and strategic coordination into a comprehensive framework of relationship that serves both the development interests of the two countries and regional stability," Zheng said in an opinion piece published on the website of the China Global Television Network.

Liu said the strategic guidance of the top leaders is the greatest strength and fundamental guarantee of China-DPRK relations.

Xi's visit came less than a year after Kim visited China, marking another round of close interaction between the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries. Last year, Kim attended commemorative activities in China marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

According to Liu, the visit deepened practical cooperation and friendly exchanges in various fields to inject new impetus into the socialist cause of China and the DPRK. During the visit, the two leaders made concrete plans for the next stage of practical cooperation and friendly exchanges between the two countries.

On the second day of his visit, Xi paid homage to the China-DPRK Friendship Tower. Xi, accompanied by Kim, also visited the Central Cadres Training School of the WPK in Pyongyang.

Liu, the senior official, said that Xi congratulated the DPRK on the successful convening of the Ninth Congress of the WPK and the 15th Supreme People's Assembly, and spoke highly of the progress that the WPK and the DPRK people, led by Kim, have made in strengthening party building, developing the economy and improving people's well-being.

Liu said that Xi called for the two parties to actively carry out more friendly exchanges at all levels, deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance, and continuously consolidate the political and public support foundation for bilateral relations and the development of the socialist causes of the two countries.

According to Liu, during the visit, Xi and Kim had an in-depth exchange of views on the current international and regional situation. Xi emphasized that China and the DPRK should strengthen strategic communication and coordination, firmly safeguard their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, jointly uphold regional peace and development, and create a better external environment for the two countries' socialist cause.

In response, Kim said that the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four China-proposed major global initiatives carry profound significance for promoting world peace and development, and have won the support and appreciation of people around the world.

Wang Junsheng, director of the Department of China's Regional Strategy at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the world is undergoing profound transformations, bringing significant changes to the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia.

"China and the DPRK play important roles in shaping the region's future. Strengthening bilateral cooperation not only helps maintain the sound development of their relations, but also contributes to peace and security across Northeast Asia," Wang said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn

Xinhua contributed to this story.